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Colorado
More Coloradans get their insurance from their employers than any other coverage option. 56.6% of
Colorado residents are covered by employer-sponsored insurance plans, while the national average for this
type of insurance stands at 52.3%.
Fewer Coloradans are covered under Medicaid as compared to the national average. Only 8.6% of
Colorado residents receive health insurance through Medicaid, while the national Medicaid average is
14.1%. Additionally, 9.6% of Colorado residents are Medicare beneficiaries and 6.7% obtain health
insurance coverage through individual plans.
Colorado has a higher uninsured population than many other states, with 16.2% uninsured residents, as
compared to the national average of 15.4%. Additionally, 13.3% of Colorado’s children remain uninsured.
Employer
12.4 15.4
United States 52.3 4.7 14.1 1.2 Individual
Medicaid
Medicare
9.6 Other Public
56.6 6.7 8.6 16.2
Colorado 2.4
Uninsured
Coloradans experienced a shift in health insurance coverage between 2007-2008 that increased the
number of people insured by public health plans. Between 2007 and 2008, the number of uninsured
residents decreased 0.4%. Additionally, Colorado residents covered through the individual market
decreased by 0.5%, while those covered by employers also decreased 1.0%.
One possible reason that less Colorado residents received health insurance in the individual and employer
market could have been due to the 0.7% increase in Medicaid coverage. However, an estimated $30 billion
was spent on health care (public and private spending) in Colorado in FY 2007-2008. That was 77% more
Individual Mandate
Starting in January of 2014, all individuals will be required to have a certain minimum level of health
insurance. Failure to purchase a minimum level of health insurance will result in a penalty of no greater
than $695 for an individual or $2,085 per family. The individual mandate is expected to help decrease the
number of uninsured in Colorado.
Health Insurance Exchanges and Federal Subsidies
Each state will create and administer a health insurance exchange. There will be two separate exchanges,
one for individuals seeking to purchase insurance on the individual market and another for employers. The
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will establish a minimum benefit package that insurance
companies must offer if they wish to be included in the exchange. For Colorado residents who earn
between 133% and 400% of the federal poverty level 6 may be eligible for individual tax credits.
Employer Coverage
As of 2007, 19.2% of Colorado’s working population was uninsured. 7 Generally, small businesses cannot
afford to offer health insurance; thus, only 38.1% of private businesses with fewer than 50 employees offer
health insurance, while 98.4% of private businesses with more than 50 employees offer health insurance. 8
In order to help small business employees gain access to employer-based health insurance coverage, ACA
provides a tax credit to qualifying small businesses that offer health insurance.
Additionally, while ACA does not require employers to provide health insurance to employees, employers
with 50 or more employees will be assessed a fee of $2,000 per full-time employee (excluding the first 30
employees) if they do not offer coverage and if they have at least one employee who receives a premium
credit through an exchange.
Medicaid Expansion
Medicaid will be expanded to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty
level. This builds upon the previous state led initiative to cover childless adults with HR-09 1293. The table
below illustrates the expansion based on legislation and federal poverty level. 9